Many types of dispersions of PTFE in oil are commercially available. PTFE has an extremely low coefficient of friction, and this property makes it useful as an additive for lubricating oils, e.g. engine oil or transmission oil. Additives containing PTFE are also helpful in reducing wear in machine guides, threads or similar applications in which parts subject to friction are exposed to high loads.
One problem with PTFE dispersions is that PTFE also is non-adhesive. In dispersions of PTFE in oil, an electrostatic charge develops on the PTFE particles, and this charge causes a repulsion vis-a-vis the metal surface to be lubricated.
It also is known that the wetting capacity of a PTFE dispersion can be improved by the addition of wetting agents. However, cationic dispersants readily result in coagulation of PTFE dispersions, especially dispersions in oils.
Accordingly, the PTFE particles of conventional oils treated with PTFE dispersions are not distributed over the surfaces to be lubricated in the desired, fine, film-like distribution.